the faith of men(人们的信任)-第24章
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following of ingoing Klondikers。 Dogs and men were fresh and fat；
while Rasmunsen and his brutes were jaded and worn down to the skin
and bone。 They of the smoke wreath had travelled one day in three；
resting and reserving their strength for the dash to come when broken trail
was met with； while each day he had plunged and floundered forward；
breaking the spirit of his dogs and robbing them of their mettle。
As for himself； he was unbreakable。 They thanked him kindly for his
efforts in their behalf； those fat； fresh men；thanked him kindly； with
broad grins and ribald laughter； and now； when he understood； he made no
answer。 Nor did he cherish silent bitterness。 It was immaterial。 The
ideathe fact behind the ideawas not changed。 Here he was and his
thousand dozen； there was Dawson； the problem was unaltered。
At the Little Salmon； being short of dog food； the dogs got into his
grub； and from there to Selkirk he lived on beanscoarse； brown beans；
big beans； grossly nutritive； which griped his stomach and doubled him up
at two…hour intervals。 But the Factor at Selkirk had a notice on the door
of the Post to the effect that no steamer had been up the Yukon for two
years； and in consequence grub was beyond price。 He offered to swap
flour； however； at the rate of a cupful of each egg； but Rasmunsen shook
his head and hit the trail。 Below the Post he managed to buy frozen horse
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hide for the dogs； the horses having been slain by the Chilkat cattle men；
and the scraps and offal preserved by the Indians。 He tackled the hide
himself； but the hair worked into the bean sores of his mouth； and was
beyond endurance。
Here at Selkirk he met the forerunners of the hungry exodus of
Dawson； and from there on they crept over the trail； a dismal throng。
〃No grub！〃 was the song they sang。 〃No grub； and had to go。〃
〃Everybody holding candles for a rise in the spring。〃 〃Flour dollar 'n a
half a pound； and no sellers。〃
〃Eggs？〃 one of them answered。 〃Dollar apiece； but there ain't none。〃
Rasmunsen made a rapid calculation。 〃Twelve thousand dollars；〃 he
said aloud。
〃Hey？〃 the man asked。
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； and MUSHED the dogs along。
When he arrived at Stewart River； seventy from Dawson； five of his
dogs were gone； and the remainder were falling in the traces。 He； also；
was in the traces； hauling with what little strength was left in him。 Even
then he was barely crawling along ten miles a day。 His cheek…bones and
nose； frost…bitten again and again； were turned bloody…black and hideous。
The thumb； which was separated from the fingers by the gee…pole； had
likewise been nipped and gave him great pain。 The monstrous moccasin
still incased his foot； and strange pains were beginning to rack the leg。
At Sixty Mile； the last beans； which he had been rationing for some time；
were finished； yet he steadfastly refused to touch the eggs。 He could not
reconcile his mind to the legitimacy of it； and staggered and fell along the
way to Indian River。 Here a fresh…killed moose and an open…handed old…
timer gave him and his dogs new strength； and at Ainslie's he felt repaid
for it all when a stampede； ripe from Dawson in five hours； was sure he
could get a dollar and a quarter for every egg he possessed。
He came up the steep bank by the Dawson barracks with fluttering
heart and shaking knees。 The dogs were so weak that he was forced to
rest them； and； waiting； he leaned limply against the gee…pole。 A man； an
eminently decorous…looking man； came sauntering by in a great bearskin
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coat。 He glanced at Rasmunsen curiously； then stopped and ran a
speculative eye over the dogs and the three lashed sleds。
〃What you got？〃 he asked。
〃Eggs；〃 Rasmunsen answered huskily； hardly able to pitch his voice
above a whisper。
〃Eggs！ Whoopee！ Whoopee！〃 He sprang up into the air； gyrated
madly； and finished with half…a…dozen war steps。 〃You don't say all of
'em？〃
〃All of 'em。〃
〃Say； you must be the Egg Man。〃 He walked around and viewed
Rasmunsen from the other side。 〃Come； now； ain't you the Egg Man？〃
Rasmunsen didn't know； but supposed he was； and the man sobered
down a bit。
〃What d'ye expect to get for 'em？〃 he asked cautiously。
Rasmunsen became audacious。 〃Dollar 'n a half；〃 he said。
〃Done！〃 the man came back promptly。 〃Gimme a dozen。〃
〃II mean a dollar 'n a half apiece；〃 Rasmunsen hesitatingly
explained。
〃Sure。 I heard you。 Make it two dozen。 Here's the dust。〃
The man pulled out a healthy gold sack the size of a small sausage and
knocked it negligently against the gee…pole。 Rasmunsen felt a strange
trembling in the pit of his stomach； a tickling of the nostrils； and an almost
overwhelming desire to sit down and cry。 But a curious； wide…eyed crowd
was beginning to collect； and man after man was calling out for eggs。 He
was without scales； but the man with the bearskin coat fetched a pair and
obligingly weighed in the dust while Rasmunsen passed out the goods。
Soon there was a pushing and shoving and shouldering； and a great
clamour。 Everybody wanted to buy and to be served first。 And as the
excitement grew； Rasmunsen cooled down。 This would never do。 There
must be something behind the fact of their buying so eagerly。 It would be
wiser if he rested first and sized up the market。 Perhaps eggs were worth
two dollars apiece。 Anyway； whenever he wished to sell； he was sure of
a dollar and a half。 〃Stop！〃 he cried； when a couple of hundred had been
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sold。 〃No more now。 I'm played out。 I've got to get a cabin； and then
you can come and see me。〃
A groan went up at this； but the man with the bearskin coat approved。
Twenty…four of the frozen eggs went rattling in his capacious pockets； and
he didn't care whether the rest of the town ate or not。 Besides； he could
see Rasmunsen was on his last legs。
〃There's a cabin right around the second corner from the Monte
Carlo；〃 he told him〃the one with the sody…bottle window。 It ain't mine；
but I've got charge of it。 Rents for ten a day and cheap for the money。
You move right in； and I'll see you later。 Don't forget the sody…bottle
window。〃
〃Tra…la…loo！〃 he called back a moment later。 〃I'm goin' up the hill to
eat eggs and dream of home。〃
On his way to the cabin； Rasmunsen recollected he was hungry and
bought a small supply of provisions at the N。 A。 T。 & T。 store also a
beefsteak at the butc
